Fashion

The 6 Best Trends We Saw During New York Fashion Week

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2 months ago

September 17, 2024

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The 6 Best Trends We Saw During New York Fashion Week

And just like that, New York Fashion Week has come and gone. But before you turn your eyes across the pond to London for the next round of runways, we’re breaking down the best New York Fashion Week trends from the spring/summer 2025 runways. I know, I know—we’re only just getting into the best fall fashion, but it’s never too early to look ahead and see how you can start incorporating these looks before everyone else does, right?

Ahead, find the only trends you need to know for next spring. Our team of fashion editors was on the ground during the first leg of Fashion Month—and after viewing runway after runway, here are the fashion trends we saw the most.

All-American Americana

Considering that we’re in an election year, it may come as no surprise that designers are feeling particularly patriotic. Fashion Week kicked off with Ralph Lauren’s latest take on American prep while Willy Chavarria showcased his interpretation of American sportswear—plus, the designer had a copy of the Constitution on each seat at the show. Tory Burch’s models walked with swim-inspired tank tops styled with slouchy pants and skirts, showing a reimagination of sportswear for today’s woman, while Michael Kors opted for classic knits that are bound to be closet staples. And finally, how can we discuss Americana without the reds, whites, and blues of Tommy Hilfiger’s stripes and plaids?

On the Fringe

Swish, swish—what’s that now? Oh, it’s the sound of the fringe skirts at Prabal Gurung, Ralph Lauren, Simkhai, Nanushka, and Proenza Schouler making their way down the runways. According to New York Fashion Week these skirts will be everywhere come spring—and why shouldn’t they? Paired with leather boots or sandals, they’re still head-turners. I’m convinced these will be the statement-makers of the season.

Sheer Effects

Sheer clothes may be a mainstay among our wardrobes these days—and I’m not one bit upset about it. But in addition to the silk organza and chiffon we’ve seen, there are new revealing options for you to choose from or add to the mix. Lace garments were central to the collections at Aknvas and 3.1 Phillip Lim. Fishnets made an appearance at Tibi, Alaïa, and Khaite (which also showed layered georgette silk), among others. And, of course, one can’t go wrong with sheer materials if that’s your thing—just take a look at the latest from Brandon Maxwell.

Bold Black and White

As much as one may love color, it’s hard to ignore the utter timelessness of our tried-and-true hues: black and white—and more specifically, black and white together. Whether in the form of ’80s-inspired polka dot dresses like those at Carolina Herrera or effortlessly cool styling à la Khaite and Toteme, styling black and white with each other feels inherently classic, but in the silhouettes we’re expecting for the spring/summer 2025 season, they feel undeniably strong.

Sculptural Cutouts and Silhouettes

On the note of bold, the NYFW spring/summer 2025 runways weren’t without head-turning, statement-making sculptural designs. First example? The beautifully draped, sculptural tops and dresses at Khaite. The second? Tibi’s voluminous caped dresses. On the other hand, Melitta Baumeister showed a tougher version with dresses featuring necklines that went towards the models’ eyes. All that said, there’s power in the negative space, too—as seen in the cutout-laden dresses at Alaïa and Diotima.

From the Boudoir

Corsets, lace trims, and negligees, oh my! Prepare to embrace your sexier side; the lingerie-inspired pieces are taking center stage next spring. We saw plenty of slip dresses with lacey trims on dresses at 3.1 Phillip Lim and bralettes at Christian Cowan—which also happened to feature silk bloomers (the designer also had bralettes and panties affixed to dresses and vests, taking underwear as outerwear to a new level). And what would this trend be without its corsets? Wiederhoeft made the lingerie staple the core of its collection, which finished with models in the label’s signature corseted wedding dress.

Dale Arden Chong is the senior fashion commerce editor at ELLE.com, where she edits and reports on the latest trends, labels, and designers in the fashion space to bring you the best items that will elevate your wardrobe. With a passion for great sartorial stories and getting dressed (as well as a knack for nerding out over the details), she has a robust knowledge of high-quality design, construction, and materials based on testing hundreds of products over her eight-plus years in the industry, writing stories for Glamour, Who What Wear, Entertainment Tonight, and others. So, if you ask her for a shopping recommendation, she’ll give you five picks plus her honest, unfiltered opinions. Dale graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Communication Design. In 2015, she was a finalist for the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Award in the Online category of “Commentary/Analysis/Trend” for her article “Calvin Klein Underwear: What Is Plus Size?” Outside of the style world, her hobbies include cooking, playing tennis, ceramics, and watching BTS dance videos on YouTube, among other things. Follow her on Instagram at @dalearden.